HINCKLEY Amateurs continued their Jekyll and Hyde season with a loss away against Ashby Hastings.

After winning the toss, Amateurs batted first on a very good batting pitch and makeshift opener Biffin sent in as a pinch hitter started off well but was soon back in the pavilion for nine. Horsley followed shortly after but with the in-form Kendrick the other end the run rate was healthy.

However bowler Harris had other ideas and soon dismissed Sylvester and then Kendrick (36) to leave Hinckley in a dubious position on 85-5.

Superb batting from veteran Aymes and Ash Harrison with his first bat of the season got Amateurs back in the game with a superb century partnership for the sixth wicket. Some superb end of innings hitting combined with the loss of three wickets left Amateurs scoring 224-7 – Aymes hitting 45 and Ash Harrison hitting a superb 74 not out.

Hinckley had to get through the top four to gain back-to-back successes, but this was not to be as ex-Ibstock batsmen Reading batted superbly for 51 before Butterworth had him caught.

This brought in ex-Barwell player Nigel Ellis who supported Perkins (125) to make the Hinckley score look ordinary, before an unbelievable turn of events brought Hinckley back into the game.

After removing Ellis (20), Ashby were on 210-2 with eight overs left but a spectacular collapse followed with Matt Lester and Lee Rastall in tandem taking three wickets each to leave Ashby needing three runs to win with two wickets remaining in the last over. They just scraped over the line with two balls to spare.

The second XI lost against Melton on Saturday with Melton hitting a formidable 233 all out with openers Stevenson (76) and Platt (73) being the pick of the batsmen. Spinner Paul Ensor continued his fine bowling form with four wickets supported by Matt Smith with three wickets.

In reply openers Hurst (34) and Mustin (18) brought the 50 up in 10 overs to set up the run chase but Stevenson continued his fine game with a four-wicket haul and only Ensor (60) offered resistance as Amateurs finally were bowled out for 177.

The first team played on Sunday against Narborough in the quarter final of the League Junior Cup and Amateurs bowled first with Rastall taking four wickets for 24 runs off just eight overs. On another fine batting pitch Amateurs produced a superb catching and bowling display to dismiss Narborough for 177, spinner Butterworth taking four for 43.

A good start was needed and Harrison was promoted up the order to open and rose to the challenge to continue his form with another superb knock of 75 not out supported by Kendrick (50) and Sylvester (44no) to lead Amateurs home with eight wickets to spare to set up a semi-final clash against unbeaten Mountsorrel on July 25.